May 14, 2010

Peter Roy, a retired investor who
sold an independent power company in 1998, and his wife, who have owned
the ivy-covered mansion for 20 years, are selling to move to Toronto,
Radford said.

“They want
their children to enjoy a Canadian experience, as well,’’ he said.

The Georgian revival house is a landmark
in Cohasset, a quaint coastal town some 20 miles south of Boston, and
has a storied history. Clarence Barron, who built a media empire
including the Wall Street Journal, and his heirs lived there for
decades. Only three families have ever lived in the home.

The original 1850 structure was razed in
the early 1930s, when the current house was built. The Roys have made
extensive renovations, Radford said, building a vast roof deck with
panoramic views and a massive private dock that can accommodate craft
more than 100 feet long. The Roys dredged much of the public harbor to
provide access for large boats.

Even
along a coast lined with lavish houses, the mansion is strikingly
opulent, towering above the tiny harbor. A tree-lined carriageway runs
through cast-iron double gates past a huge front lawn to a bluestone
terrace.

Among the 45 rooms
are a library, sunroom, gallery, and 10 bedrooms. The lower floor
features a media room, billiard room, home gym, and pub room complete
with a mahogany bar. From the pub, there is access to a wine cellar that
can hold 1,800 bottles.

The
size of the home is staggering. Besides 10 bedrooms, there are 11
bathrooms, 12 fireplaces. The family room alone, the centerpiece of a
2006 expansion, is 816 square feet, larger than many Back Bay
apartments.

Outside stands a
clapboard-sided carriage house, a swimming pool, tennis courts, and a
lawn chessboard with stone pieces that are 2 feet tall.

In the current fiscal year, taxes on the
home totaled $107,000.

I've heard unverified and not necessarily reliable rumors that this downsizing is a consequence of Madoff. It could just regular financial losses. For my tastes the house is far too exposed to public view on all sides. Realistic non-marketing view below via Bing Maps.